It all started with a swipe. On a balmy July day in 2023, Chloe had moved back to the Portland area after an extended travel nursing stint, and Morgan had swiped through every available single in Portland, expanding his radius to Vancouver! Both of us were dating with the intention of finding a life partner, and the stars aligned—we matched on Bumble! Of course, the story couldn’t be easy. Bumble only allows women to message first and has a short 24-hour window to respond. Now, anyone who knows me knows I can be, to put it mildly, not great with social media. I hadn’t checked the app, and the match lapsed, taking Morgan off my profile. But that didn’t stop him! Morgan went on a mission, located my Instagram, and, as the kids say, “slid into my DMs.” When I got that message, I immediately recognized him—that super-hot guy who looked way out of my league but I swiped on anyways! In typical Chloe fashion, the initial interview questions began: “What are you passionate about, and what about my profile interests you?” Morgan blew it out of the park, and a few days later, he suggested his favorite Thai spot for a first date. Right off the bat, Morgan learned that I’m rarely on time to anything, and I learned that Morgan is honestly the most patient man on earth. He swears up and down that he recommended this place for the best Pad See Ew in the city; I remember it being the best Thai in the city. I ordered chicken with lemon glaze (per Morgan against the recommendation of the Pad see ew as he did not vouch for any other food there), and it was quite honestly the worst Thai food I’d ever had. Morgan ended up swapping meals with me, and neither of us finished the lemon-glazed chicken. We had a 6+ hour first date filled with laughter, continued interview questions, and ending with a searing first kiss. We agreed on this date to “overcommunicate” everything and date each other intentionally—a practice we still uphold. Our first date felt like the beginning of something special, filled with a connection neither of us could deny and a distinct distrust of Morgan's restaurant recommendations. Through a combined love for traveling, trying new restaurants, exploring the great outdoors, and above all—doing things together—we became each other’s go-to person, navigating life hand in hand. We moved in together in November of 2023 after serendipitously negotiating lease takeovers. In March of 2024, we decided to escape the Portland winter and spend a working vacation in Sayulita, Mexico. Given the last-minute nature of the trip and our recent shopping trips for engagement rings, I was certain he was going to propose there. I spoke to Audrey about my suspicions, who gave nothing away. A few days later, Morgan brought up what I had said to Audrey and made me question my certainty (the only acceptable gaslighting to keep the surprise)! After an afternoon of Mexican beers, making fun of tourists, and me making Morgan gallop to the beach for a selfie (mocking said tourists), Morgan popped the question. It was the perfect proposal, capturing the essence of our playful and loving relationship—boy, was I glad the photographer wasn’t there to catch evidence of us galloping to our proposal! Fast forward to today, and I am immeasurably grateful to have found someone who loves me unconditionally, pushes me to be the best version of myself, and is one of the best people I have ever met. Morgan not only accepts my love but ensures I always feel that love in return. He has shown me that true partnership means standing by each other through every high and low, with unwavering support and endless laughter. As we look forward to our future, I am filled with joy and excitement for the life we will build together. We can't wait to celebrate our love with all of you, surrounded by the family and friends who have supported us along the way. Together, we'll create even more beautiful memories, bound by the love that brought us here.

I know what you all must be thinking.. Where can I find the best Pad See Ew in Portland?? Well, some mysteries are best kept secret. In all seriousness though, that lemon chicken was awful. Great first date though! I didn’t realize we sat there talking over the best thai food in the city for 6 hours until we checked the record. I distinctly remember driving home that night and thinking to myself that I may have just found the one. It wasn’t an overwhelming experience of excitement. More of a deep sense that I had just met someone very special, and my life may never be the same. After two weeks of some of the most intentional dating of my life, my suspicions were confirmed. I had to let the world know! Ask some of my closest friends, and they’ll tell you that I probably made a fool of myself for the coming months. I proceeded to introduce Chloe to all my friends as “My future wife” more times than was probably necessary. But I didn’t mind the eye rolls. I’d never felt so proud. Fast forward a year, and It feels like we’ve been together for decades. I’ve found more than just my wife. I found a true partner. The future mother of my children, my best friend, my workout buddy, my travel companion, my business partner, my nurse, and my goofball. Through Chloe, I learned what it really means to love someone fully and unconditionally. We learned early on that our relationship is never 50/50. There are days when I come home fully draining at a solid 10, and Chloe lovingly steps up to a 90. There are days when she’s burned out and exhausted and I’m happy to make us whole. But that’s what a true partnership is. Showing up with everything you have, over communicating, and finding balance as one with some joy along the way. I’m so incredibly grateful for this exceptional human that came into my life. I hit the jackpot. Please meet Chloe, my soon to be wife.